Response to “Discovery of a possible hybrid of the Critically Endangered Forest Owlet Athene blewitti and Spotted Owlet Athene brama (Aves: Strigiformes) from northern Maharashtra, India” by Pande et al.

Abstract

1799 We welcome the immediate response to our paper (Pande et al. 2011) by Ishtiaq (2011). In today’s ‘Publish or Perish’ ideology, many a scientific papers are published and simply fade away, therefore, even though hurriedly written and harshly worded, the response is heartening. We are sure that the response is prompted out of concern for conservation implications from possible hybridization. We are well aware of the proposed revision of the genus Athene to Heteroglaux for the species blewitti. However, as is well known that this species was considered to be extinct for a long time, was recently rediscovered, is poorly studied and has been subject to taxonomic revisions earlier. We have decided to keep the previous generic name Athene, particularly because we have reported a possible hybrid between Athene brama and Athene blewitti in our paper. If our fear is true, then intra-generic hybridization is likely to be more common than inter-generic hybridization. The paper also brings forth a vital issue of forming a national level scientific body well represented by qualified subject experts to authenticate and endorse the proposed changes in nomenclature (both for common names and zoological scientific names), particularly when such taxa Reply to the Response to Pande et al. by Ishtiaq